812-Lancastcr Farming, Saturday, March 15,1986
9k,
Blanket Care
Blankets last longest and give
the best service when they are kept
clean. A clean blanket has a fluffy
nap that traps warmth, and it is
less likely to suffer insect damage
than a soiled blanket.
Always read care instructions
before cleaning a blanket. Some
may specify drycleaning. Blankets
that are labeled “handwash only”
may be drycleaned. Electric
blankets, on the other hand, can
only be laundered; drycleaning
damages the insulation on the
wiring. Some wool blankets are
specially treated for machine
washability. When available,
follow the laundry instructions on
the care label for any blanket.
In general, washable blankets
can be laundered in the following
manner. Measure the length and
width of a wool blanket. Pretreat
spots or a soiled binding with a
liquid detergent or a paste of water
and granular detergent. Wash only
YORK - Concerned about the
quality of your drinking water? If
you depend on your own well or
spring, you should be.
“The quality of water from a
private supply is the responsibility
of its owner,” says Dr. William
Sharpe, water resource specialist
at Penn State University. “If you
don’t test your water, no one else
will.”
Drinking contaminated water
can be a health risk, Sharpe points
out. “The Safe Drinking Water Act
established standards for water
quality. If water doesn’t meet
those standards, it could eause
problems for those drinking it.” As
an example, he notes that water
with high levels of lead can retard
the mental development of
children who drink it.
To insure that your water is safe
to drink, you should have it tested
periodically at a certified water
testing laboratory. Sharpe
recommends that water be tested
By Doris Thomas
Lancaster Extension
Home Economist
one large blanket at a time.
Set the washer for a warm wash
and cold rinse. After the washer
has filled, add detergent. If a
granular product is used, agitate to
dissolve. Stop the washer and
distribute the blanket loosely and
evenly around the wash cycle. Let
the water pump out and after a one
minute spin, slowly advance the
timer to the deep rinse. Rinse for
one to two minutes and allow the
washer to finish the wash cycle
automatically.
A fabric softener may be used in
the washer or dryer to help reduce
static cling and make a blanket
soft and fluffy.
Depending on the construction of
the blanket, synthetics and those
made of cotton can be washed on a
permanent press cycle.
Dry a wool blanket on the high
temperature setting. To absorb
moisture and dry a blanket more
quickly, place three or four dry
towels in the dryer. Preheat the
towels for three to five minutes.
York fxtensko offers safe Malar dink
for bacteria and nitrates at least
once a year and for other
chemicals at least every three
years.
In addition to potential health
problems, poor quality water can
have other negative effects.
“Water contaminated with iron
can cause staining problems, and
water with a low pH can corrode
pipes,” says Sharpe.
On March 25 residents of York
County will have an opportunity to
Tri-Community Baby Beef Club
The Tri-Community 4-H Dairy
Club met recently at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Yeager.
The following officers were
elected: president, Lynn Buzzard;
vice president, Kelly Buzzard;
secretary, Noel Scheib; treasurer,
This helps absorb moisture, dry
blankets rapidly and avoid pilling
caused by long tumbling. Place the
blanket in the dryer with the warm
towels. Set dryer control for about
twenty minutes. Check the blanket
after ten minutes. Remove while
still slightly damp to avoid
shrinkage.
Place blanket on flat surface or
over two lines to finish drying.
Stretch the blanket to it original
shape. When the blanket is com
pletely dry, brush gently to raise
nap. Press binding with a cool iron,
if needed.
Synthetic blankets and those
made of cotton may be dried using
the permanent press cycle and
temperature. Use highest heat
setting if the dryer has no per
manent press setting. Dry com
pletely; do not overdry to avoid
wrinkling. Remove blanket from
dryer as soon as the machine
stops.
For line drying, hang a blanket
over two parallel lines. Smooth and
straighten edges. When partially
dry, change the position and
straighten.
Techniques For
Discount Shopping
Bargain bins, five minute
specials, and buying fever can cost
you a bundle if you are not
prepared when buying clothes at
discount stores.
Be a cool customer and a wise
consumer, you need to be well
armed with a list of what you need
and how much you can afford to
spend. Once you have these, here
are a few extra survival
leam about managing their water
supplies. Dr. Sharpe and other
water quality experts will speak
and be available for consultation at
the “Safe Drinking Water Clinic”
to be held at the York County 4-H
Center in Bair. The clinic is free
and advanced registration isn’t
necessary.
The program will run from 1 to 3
p.m. and be repeated at 7 to 9 p.m.
For more information contact the
York County Cooperative Ex
tension Service at 757-9657.
Tiffany Yeager; and news
reporter, Amy Hewitt.
For the remainder of the
meeting, members completed the
Hoard’s Dairymen cow judging
contest. All members submitted
entries.
techniques that may protect you
from costly impulse buying. '
• Don’t go unless you are
prepared to buy. What you see
today may be gone tomorrow. If
you intend to use a check or credit
card note store policy before you
buy.
• Shop when you feel full of
energy and are looking good. Be
prepared for a little crowding,
allow more time than you or
dinarily would, and expect delays
at the check-out line.
• Go dressed for easy changes so
you’re prepared to try on
everything you select before you
actually buy. There are many
reasons items are sold at discount
and it’s up to you to decide if a flaw
is worth the price.
• Make a quick tour of the store
before you begin to select in ear
nest. Some stores are organized as
a series of boutiques and not all of
what you are looking for will be in
the same place. Often best buys
are in a backroom or on a separate
rack.
• Look over garments carefully
and don’t depend entirely on sizing
tags - clothes may be improperly
marked. Look for tears, irregular
stitching and coloring, broken
zippers, and stains.
• If you’ve found something you
like, have tried it on and like the
style, fabric and fit, carry it
around with you for a few minutes
while you look further. A second
look at something you’ve selected
may save you from an “almost”
good bargain.
China's pandas
(Continued from Page BIO)
infant squawk.
After Zhen-Zhen and her infant
abandoned the den, Schaller found
a nest made of wood dust and a few
twigs. Piled at the entrance were
droppings and several logs the
mother panda had hauled in.
Equally puzzling was a five-foot fir
sapling placed upright in the den.
Unexplained Loss
Somehow Zhen-Zhen lost her
infant that winter, and later
another of her offspring vanished,
its fate unknown.
Adult pandas are at risk too. In
the mid-1970’s much of the um
brella bamboo in northern Sichuan
flowered and died, causing at least
138 pandas to starve to death.
Then, in 1983, a flowering of arrow
bamboo in central Sichaun
threatened pandas there, and some
had to be rescued and relocated.
Pandas also die in snares set for
muskd deer. Poaching is the
second biggest cause of their
deaths, after habitat destruction.
Concern for their survival has
led to creation of the Research
Centre for the Protection of the
Giant Panda and Its Ecosystem, in
the Wolong Reserve. It includes a
veterinary hospital and a nursery.
China and the World Wildlife Fund
also plan a detailed panda census
and bamboo survey to help
manage “China’s living treasure.”